Advanced methodology of determination water jet cooling intensity during the casting process

Companies which produce aluminum alloy ingots seek a final product without structural defects. One crucial factor is the cooling during the semi continual casting process. In the beginning of the process, most cracks are made with lengths up to 300 mm, and then, by selecting a suitable method of water cooling, the cracks are closed. A major influence on defect generation is the superheat extraction from the incoming liquid metal by the secondary water-cooling system due to direct water impingement on the ingot surface. The temperature distribution during the casting process can be simulated numerically with known boundary conditions (cooling intensity along the surface). Boundary conditions are obtained by experimental investigation and subsequent evaluation. A special experimental device was designed for measurement. The device’s main function is to ensure that the position of the mold and the sample during measurement is as it would be during the real casting process. The aluminum sample was equipped with a set of thermocouples placed along the cooling surface. The hot vertical surface was cooled down during the experiments by a flat water jet. The impact area is located in the upper part of the cooling surface. The rest of surface is cooled by water flow down along the surface. This article deals with the evaluation of this type of experiment. The boundary conditions (heat transfer coefficients) are estimated as a function of temperature and vertical position. Unfortunately, the results obtained by standard methods for solving the inverse heat conduction problem (for example, using the 2D sequential function specification method) are blurred. This is caused by the Leidenfrost effect and this special type of cooling. A sharp border between the transient and film boiling modes is created and moves down during the experiment. This article illustrates an applicable solution based on shifting computation element borders during the inverse computations. The method was tested on measured data.Papers presented to the 12th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Costa de Sol, Spain on 11-13 July 2016

Management of inflammation in dry eye disease: Recommendations from a European panel of experts

Introduction: Early initiation of anti-inflammatory therapies is recommended for dry eye disease (DED) to break the vicious cycle of pathophysiology. However, there is limited guidance on how to implement topical ciclosporin (CsA) and corticosteroid treatment into clinical practice. This expert-led consensus provides practical guidance on the management of DED, including when and how to use topical CsA. Methods: A steering committee (SC) of seven European DED experts developed a questionnaire to gain information on the unmet needs and management of DED in clinical practice. Consensus statements on four key areas (disease severity and progression; patient management; efficacy, safety and tolerability of CsA; and patient education) were generated based on the responses. The SC and an expanded expert panel of 22 members used a nine-point scale (1 = strongly disagree; 9 = strongly agree) to rate statements; a consensus was reached if ≥75% of experts scored a statement ≥7. Results: A stepwise approach to DED management is required in patients presenting with moderate corneal staining. Early topical CsA initiation, alone or with corticosteroids, should be considered in patients with clinical risk factors for severe DED. Patient education is required before and during treatment to manage expectations regarding efficacy and tolerability in order to optimise adherence. Follow-up visits are required, ideally at Month 1 and every 3 months thereafter. Topical CsA may be continued indefinitely, especially when surgery is required. Conclusion: This consensus fills some of the knowledge gaps in previous recommendations regarding the use of topical corticosteroids and CsA in patients with DED

Feedback regulation and the intracellular protein profile of Streptomyces griseus in a cycloheximide fermentation

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) was used to study the intracellular protein profile of Streptomyces griseus in relation to cycloheximide (CH) biosynthesis. Four proteins (CR1-CR4) were found to be significantly and specifically repressed by addition of the antibiotic (1 g/l at 72 h) to a producing fermentation. Synthesis of these proteins was specific to the idiophase, concurrent with CH production. Initial addition of CH to the production medium resulted in slightly lower synthesis rates of two of the proteins (CR1 and CR2), while significantly delaying the onset of synthesis of the other two (CR3 and C4). Finally, neutral polymetric resin was added to the fermentation to alleviate feedback regulation of CH synthesis, giving roughly a twofold increase in the antibiotic production rate. Production of proteins CR3 and CR4 was increased approximately tenfold immediately following resin addition, but returned to the control rate of synthesis after 24 h.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46761/1/253_2004_Article_BF00166779.pd

Phosphate feeding to permit growth while maintaining secondary product synthesis

Maintaining high metabolic activities for extended periods by feeding small amounts of the growth limiting nutrient was examined for the production of cycloheximide by Streptomyces griseus . Batch studies indicated that increased initial phosphate levels led to increased cell concentrations, stimulated glucose utilization, and over a limited range (<0.6 g/l KH 2 PO 4 ) did not adversely affect cycloheximide production rates. Semi-continuous phosphate feeding was observed to permit limited cell growth, and to enhance metabolic activities (i. e. glucose utilization). The effect of semi-continuous phosphate feeding on antibiotic production depended on the feed rate, with high feed rates suppressing production.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46756/1/253_2004_Article_BF00451634.pd

Restoring speech following total removal of the larynx by a learned transformation from sensor data to acoustics

Total removal of the larynx may be required to treat laryngeal cancer: speech is lost. This article shows that it may be possible to restore speech by sensing movement of the remaining speech articulators and use machine learning algorithms to derive a transformation to convert this sensor data into an acoustic signal. The resulting “silent speech,” which may be delivered in real time, is intelligible and sounds natural. The identity of the speaker is recognisable. The sensing technique involves attaching small, unobtrusive magnets to the lips and tongue and monitoring changes in the magnetic field induced by their movement

Influence of environment on the corrosion of glass–metal connections

'Glass sensors' of the eighteenth century Backer glass and the sixteenth century enamel from Limoges have been chosen for a series of experiments. Combinations of these materials with different base materials such as copper and bronze has been investigated. To create surface changes on the 'glass sensor', a corrosion process was induced in a controlled environment. A variety of corrosive agents such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, water and formaldehyde were used. The sample immersed in the corrosive solution was exposed alternately to light and high temperature for a total of 38 weeks. During this period, macroscopic and microscopic observations were made and series of tests such as SEM/EDS and Raman spectroscopy were performed on the surface of the samples. ICP-MS methods were used to determine the change in the chemical composition of the solutions where the samples had corroded. The primary aim of this study was to identify the impact of a number of external corrosive variables such as temperature, humidity and local environment to identify the most damaging environments for glass–metal objects. The obtained results showed the chemical and physical phenomena acting on the surface of the glass, metal or in the place of their joints. Information obtained on this study was used to explain the influence of the environment on the surface of glass–metal materials. Results can be used in the design of conservation work as well as for sustainable conservation

4-1BBL-containing leukemic extracellular vesicles promote immunosuppressive effector regulatory T cells

Chronic and acute myeloid leukemia evade immune system surveillance and induce immunosuppression by expanding proleukemic Foxp31 regulatory T cells (Tregs). High levels of immunosuppressive Tregs predict inferior response to chemotherapy, leukemia relapse, and shorter survival. However, mechanisms that promote Tregs in myeloid leukemias remain largely unexplored. Here, we identify leukemic extracellular vesicles (EVs) as drivers of effector proleukemic Tregs. Using mouse model of leukemia-like disease, we found that Rab27adependent secretion of leukemic EVs promoted leukemia engraftment, which was associated with higher abundance of activated, immunosuppressive Tregs. Leukemic EVs attenuated mTOR-S6 and activated STAT5 signaling, as well as evoked significant transcriptomic changes in Tregs. We further identified specific effector signature of Tregs promoted by leukemic EVs. Leukemic EVs-driven Tregs were characterized by elevated expression of effector/tumor Treg markers CD39, CCR8, CD30, TNFR2, CCR4, TIGIT, and IL21R and included 2 distinct effector Treg (eTreg) subsets: CD301CCR8hiTNFR2hi eTreg1 and CD391TIGIThi eTreg2. Finally, we showed that costimulatory ligand 4-1BBL/CD137L, shuttled by leukemic EVs, promoted suppressive activity and effector phenotype of Tregs by regulating expression of receptors such as CD30 and TNFR2. Collectively, our work highlights the role of leukemic extracellular vesicles in stimulation of immunosuppressive Tregs and leukemia growth. We postulate that targeting of Rab27a-dependent secretion of leukemic EVs may be a viable therapeutic approach in myeloid neoplasms